Change yourself Quote by Hazrat Inayat Khan
“In Sufi terms the crushing of the ego is called Nafs Kushi. And how do we crush it? We crush it by sometimes taking ourselves to task. When the self says, 'O no, I must not be treated like this,' then we say, 'What does it matter?' When the self says, 'He ought to have done this, she ought to have said that,' we say, 'What does it matter, either this way or that way? Every person is what he is; you cannot change him, but you can change yourself.' That is the crushing. ... It is only in this way that we can crush our ego.”
About This Quote
Source Lecture: Sufi teachings on ego, 1930s public talk
Ego is diminished by questioning self‑importance and accepting reality, focusing on personal change rather than trying to alter others.
In simple terms: Crush ego by questioning its claims and changing yourself.
Key Takeaway
Question ego, change self.
Themes
spiritual growth
self‑awareness
humility
Mood
reflective
calm
Type
philosophical
inspirational
When to use this quote
- personal meditation
- conflict resolution
- self‑improvement
Key Concepts
ego dissolution
Sufi psychology
Questions to Reflect On
- What self‑beliefs limit you?
- How can you transform ego into constructive action?
A Different Perspective
Ego suppression can lead to passivity if not balanced with self‑respect.
